1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a rifle equipped with a magazine holder for receiving a detachable magazine, and more particularly to a rifle having a multi-magazine holder which comprises a main magazine holder for receiving a main magazine and at least one subsidiary magazine holder for receiving a reserve magazine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, known rifles, wuch as a M-16 military rifle, are integrally equipped with a monomagazine holder for receiving a detachable magazine which is charged with bullets. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional monomagazine holder 4 of the rifle is generally formed as downwardly extending from the main body of the rifle and has a generally rectangular-sectioned hollow shape and is provided at a side surface thereof with a magazine extractor 4a elastically biased by a spring member so that the magazine holder 4 can elastically receive a magazine 5 having a generally trapezoidal hexahedral shape. To charge the magazine 5 in the monomagazine holder 4, the magazine 5 charged with bullets is upwardly inserted into the magazine holder 4 until it snaps to the magazine extractor 4a. In this state, if a breechblock is retreated and advanced, the uppermost bullet in the magazine 5 is charged in the cartridge chamber of the rifle, thereby getting readied for firing.
To exchange a new magazine for the used magazine, that is, an empty magazine after firing, the used magazine 5 is extracted from the holder 4 by pushing the magazine extractor 4a and the new magazine is charged in the holder 4 in the same manner as described above. In result, in exchanging the new magazine for the used magazine, it is required to extract the used magazine by pushing the magazine extractor 4a, take the new magazine out of a cartridge belt, conform the insert direction of the new magazine and charge the new magazine in the holder 4 by upwardly inserting it into the holder 4 until it snaps to the magazine extractor 4a.
Therefore, the known magazine holder 4 having the above structure has a disadvantage in that the exchange of the new magazine for the used magazine needs a substantially long time regardless of skill of the shooter and makes the shooter to turn his eyes from the shooting target to the magazines, thereby causing the shooter, especially in successive firing, to feel a burdensome.